My weekend

So leaving home on Wednesday with the house prepared for a potential visit from the Queen..... why is that? Did I really need to clean the kitchen, bathroom etc when leaving youngest and dog to their own devices, knowing that it would all need cleaning again on my return!

Thursday saw the temperature on Dartmoor down to -5 with a wind chill factor taking it down to -13, as D and I walked round Haytor rock and beyond. First photo one of the many frozen pools around the other side of Haytor.




I loved the colours trapped under the ice of the pool.



Every so often on an outcrop there would be frozen water slowly dripping on the the moor.



A small sanctuary for a much needed coffee under an overhang on Haytor itself. We walked for approx 7 miles. It was lovely in the sunshine, but boy when the clouds covered the sun it was chilling to the bone. Easy to see how Dartmoor has such a reputation for being a dangerous place, and that doesn't include the prison in the middle of it!





Thursday afternoon I finally took myself round the estate agents in Bovey to get on their mailing lists and actually looked round one house. Friday another house to be seen after being with J for a ladies who lunch in Exeter.

Friday evening I went to my other close friends who live in Exeter. The evening started wonderfully with chamapgne and oysters. Unfortunately two hours later found me with food poisoning that didn't stop until 2am. By which time I was completely exhausted and empty of all substances known to man that lurk inside us!
I went back to J&Ds Saturday morning totally unable to go to Dartmouth for my favourite lunch of crab sandwiches and cider. In fact, I was sent straight to bed and stayed there till 2am, when I re-emerged feeling more human. The diet of the day was coke (ugh! but good for hydration) and toast with marmite.


Sunday a more gentle walk down by the river Bovey. The water was rushing fast and the sound was just wonderful as it crashed over the rocks.



A place for a sit, but not quite warm enough for a paddle.





And finally spring is on it's way as the trees where full of catkins and pussy willows. The woods had jays and woodpeckers, as well as all the normal woodland birds.



The rest of Sunday was taken up with eating and drinking and just being together. And because I so love my Sundays with J&D the price I had to pay was getting up to leave the house at 5.30am to get to work on time.

So now I'm back, and the house has needed sorting and the cleaning does need doing, as I knew it would! It will have to wait till I have time on Wednesday, as will all other chores and communications as it's early to bed for me after my 230 mile morning drive